Aerospace Jobs in Kansas City, KS

Your Job

Smiths Interconnect, a Molex company, is seeking a Global Director of Product Line Management (PLM) to lead a high-performing global team responsible for rugged embedded fiber optic transceiver product lines serving aerospace, defense, and space markets. This role has full ownership of product line strategy and P&L performance and plays a critical role in driving profitable growth, technology leadership, and long-term value creation across mission-critical optical communications portfolios.

Our Team

You will lead a distributed Product Line Management organization and partner closely with Engineering, Sales, Operations, Finance, and Marketing to align strategy, execution, and customer value across global markets.

What You Will Do

· Own full product line P&L accountability, delivering revenue growth, gross margin expansion, and operating income targets

· Define and execute global product line strategy aligned with business objectives and long-term market opportunities

· Develop and maintain product roadmaps, business plans, and go-to-market strategies for current and next-generation products

· Identify and evaluate growth opportunities across aerospace, defense, and space segments, including new applications and adjacencies

· Lead market, customer, and competitive intelligence to guide portfolio optimization and investment decisions

· Translate customer and market requirements into differentiated, ruggedized optical solutions in partnership with Engineering

· Actively manage the full product lifecycle, from concept through launch, production, and end-of-life decisions

· Partner with Sales and Marketing to develop product positioning, messaging, pricing strategies, and sales enablement tools

· Engage directly with key customers and strategic prospects, serving as the voice of the customer across the organization

· Lead, develop, and mentor a global PLM team while strengthening organizational capability and succession

· Collaborate cross-functionally to improve execution, operational alignment, and customer outcomes

· Support strategic initiatives, including partnerships, acquisitions, and other inorganic growth opportunities

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

· Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution

· Experience owning and managing product line P&L responsibility

· Experience leading product management or product line teams in aerospace, defense, space, or other high-reliability markets

· Working knowledge of electrical and/or optical systems used in complex, mission-critical applications

· Experience collaborating across Engineering, Sales, Operations, and Marketing to deliver business results

· Ability to travel domestically and internationally, up to 50%

What Will Put You Ahead

· MBA and/or technical degree

· Experience with ruggedized fiber optic transceivers or optical communications technologies

· Demonstrated success developing and executing global product strategies and roadmaps

· Experience with value-based pricing and commercial strategy in engineered products

· Established customer relationships within aerospace, defense, or space markets

· Experience leading teams through growth, change, or integration following acquisitions

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.